Laurie Anne Walden, DVM

Toxins from algae in a pond killed 3 dogs in Wilmington earlier this month. The same type of algae has been found in a public park pond in Charlotte. The only way to know if algae is harmful is by testing the water in a laboratory, so for safety, keep your dog away from all scummy or discolored water.

Harmful Algal BloomsAlgae are tiny plantlike organisms that live in water. Some algae produce toxins that cause serious illness. Under certain conditions, algae grow quickly into collections called algal blooms. Algal blooms are most likely to form in warm water that is high in nutrients like nitrogen. Hot weather and stagnant water increase the chance of algal growth.

Algal blooms can form in either fresh or salt water. The most common type of harmful algae in fresh water is cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae. Another type of algae causes red tide in salt water.

Avoid water with signs of potentially harmful algal blooms:

Green, blue-green, or red-brown water

Discoloration that looks like a paint spill on the surface of the water

Scum, foam, or mats floating on the water

Unpleasant odor (although dogs might not mind the smell)

Dead fish

Symptoms of ExposurePeople and animals can be exposed to algal toxins through skin contact with contaminated water, by drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated food (like fish), or by inhaling water droplets in windblown spray. Dogs are typically exposed when they play or wade at the edges of bodies of water with algal blooms.

Not all algal blooms are toxic. But with some types of algae, exposure to only a small amount of toxin can be fatal within hours or days. Algal toxins can damage the liver, nervous system, kidneys, and digestive tract. Symptoms depend on the type of toxin and the amount of exposure and include the following:

Irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, or throat

Vomiting or diarrhea

Weakness

Difficulty breathing

Stumbling or staggering

Tremors

Paralysis

Seizures

Coma

What to Do if Your Pet Is ExposedIf your dog comes in contact with questionable fresh or salt water, bathe or at least rinse him off with clean (tap) water right away, before he licks his fur. Take precautions to avoid exposure to yourself; wear gloves or wash your hands after rinsing your dog.

Take your dog to a veterinary clinic if she has swallowed water containing algae or has licked her fur after wading in water with an algal bloom. Symptoms of toxin exposure constitute a medical emergency, so seek veterinary care immediately if your dog is vomiting or stumbling after water contact.

PreventionThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recommend these precautions:

Keep pets away from water that is scummy/discolored or contains dead fish.

Rinse off pets that have had contact with potentially contaminated water.

Laurie Anne Walden, DVM

Cats need to scratch objects. Scratching is normal for cats, and even declawed cats engage in this instinctive behavior. You can’t train your cat not to scratch, and it wouldn’t be humane to try. But there are ways to direct your cat’s scratching so she’ll scratch more where you want her to and less where you don’t.

Why Cats ScratchUnderstanding why cats scratch helps us figure out how to convince them to use a scratching post and not the sofa.

Cats have a physical need to scratch. Scratching grooms the nails, flexes the claw-retracting apparatus, and stretches the muscles.

Scratching is also a communication method for cats. Cats are territorial, and scratching is one way they mark their territory. When cats scratch, they leave visual signs (scratch marks) and scents (from glands in their paws) as signals for other animals.

Anxiety—for example, from conflict with other pets—can increase a cat’s marking behaviors. If your cat is clawing the furniture more than usual, stress is a possible reason. Punishing a cat for scratching could certainly increase his anxiety level.

Giving Cats Things to ScratchCats have individual preferences for scratching surfaces. The right type of scratching post is whatever type your cat likes best. You might need to try several before finding your cat’s favorite. Here are some general tips:

Scratching posts should be located wherever the cat feels the urge to scratch. Providing multiple posts is a great idea, especially if you have more than one cat. Possible locations are where the cat sleeps, where the cat spends a lot of time, at edges of the cat’s territory (near windows, for example), and wherever the cat has been scratching other things.

Most cats like vertical scratching surfaces, although some prefer to scratch horizontally. Look where your cat has been scratching. If he scratches furniture legs, he would probably like a vertical post. If he scratches the carpet, he might like a horizontal scratching pad.

The scratching post should be tall enough let the cat reach up and stretch full length.

The scratching post should be stable enough not to wobble if the cat jumps on it.

Most cats like sisal as a scratching surface. Some prefer corrugated cardboard, wood, bark, carpet, or rough fabric.

To encourage your cat to use the scratching post, try these ideas:

Dangle a toy from the post.

Apply catnip to the post.

Use a synthetic feline pheromone product specifically meant to encourage scratching (one includes a color indicator that gives cats a visual stimulus for marking territory). Read the packaging first. Some feline pheromone products are intended to stop cats from scratching, so use those on your furniture, not the scratching post.

Reward your cat with petting, praise, or food for using the scratching post.

Keeping Cats From Scratching Other Things

Don’t punish or yell at your cat for scratching. This could increase her anxiety and cause her to scratch more.

Put an attractive (to your cat) scratching post right next to the object you want her to stop scratching. Furniture protectors made of cat-friendly scratching material are available to cover furniture legs and couch corners. Be proud of your new decor.

Use a synthetic feline pheromone product meant to discourage scratching (don’t use it on the scratching post).

Remove the object you don’t want your cat to scratch or cover it with something that is unattractive to your cat (like sticky tape or a smooth covering). Be sure you’ve provided an attractive alternative first.